START/FINISH POINT: The Car park at Tra na Rosann. Grid Ref. C 118420. To get there, follow the R245 from Letterkenny to Carrickart (Carrig Airt), via the towns of Ramelton and Milford. In Carrickart, take the right turn (R248) signposted for Downings (Na Dunaibh).
After approx. 2 kms, where the main road bends to the left, follow the minor road that leads straight on, signposted for "The Atlantic Drive" and Melmore Head. Follow this road for approx. 5 kms until you arrive at the carpark on the right with breath-taking views of Mulroy Bay.
Take the next right. This leads down towards a flat expanse of land. At the bottom of the hill, take the roadway to the left, and follow it until you come to the car park.

 

ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Go through the gap in the wooden fence, and follow the path to the beach. Turn right and walk along the stony beach. From the edge of the beach, climb towards Point 163. This is the highest point in Melmore, with out-standing scenery, not only of the walk, but also a 360-degree panorama from Fanad Head to Lough Salt Mountain to Horn Head to Tory Island.

From here, make your way towards the WW2 look-out post perched on top of Gortnalughoge (point 125). The safest route from here is to back-track to the bottom of the valley and contour around until you come to the wall. If the tide is out, you could(with care), make your way down to Boyeeghter Strand. Walk along the beach until you come to the cliffs at what is locally known as "The Murder Hole". Either way, make your way to Lough Melmore. Walk northwards towards the old derelict farmhouse. If you look carefully, you will find another leftover from WW2. To let aircrew know that they were entering Irish airspace, "78 EIRE" was marked out on the ground.

From here, walk in a North-Western direction between the inlet and the small lake. Continue along the coast until you come to the ruins of a Napoleonic watch tower. As you follow the coastline towards Tranafaighaboy Beach, you will come across shaped blocks of Granite. These are the remainder of the blocks that were shipped from here to England. In London, these same blocks were used to build Llyod`s Bank.

From Tranafaighaboy Beach, follow the rocky coastline, pass the remains of an old car and the pieces of Aluminuim that are all that remain from the Holiday Caravans after the storms of Christmas 1998. To avoid the gully, bypass the Bungalow and the fence on the right. Walk back into the dunes again. Remember to wear long trousers as the long grass is not kind to bare legs. The beautiful, but dangerous, Gortnalughoge Bay opens out before you. Follow the coastline around the point onto Invermore Bay. Cross the fence, walk to the road, turn right, and after the Cross on your left, turn right to once more arrive at the carpark.

POINTS TO NOTE: Approx. 100 mts northeast from the carpark, and also near the northern end of the beach, you will find the remains of "Middens", the dumpsites of our ancient fore-fathers.
When walking along the Eastern coastline, if the tide is in, it would be safer to remain on the road. After you pass the entrance to the Youth Hostel, you may be tempted to take a short cut across the flat fields to the carpark, however, these fields tend to be waterlogged and boggy.

DISTANCE: Approx. 11km
ASCENT: Approx. 250mts
TIME: Approx: 41/2
MAPS:
O.S. 1:50 000
SHEET 2